Saim-Hann
Saim-Hann is one of the larger Aeldari craftworlds whose Jetbike-riding warriors, the clans of the Wild Riders, are renowned for their savagery and their preference for fast, mobile warfare, striking as a serpent before falling back beyond the reach of retaliation. Theirs is a craftworld of ancient tradition and a proud warrior culture. In Aeldari myth, the Serpent is the only creature believed to exist in both the material and the psychic universes at the same time. Hence, the Serpent is said to know all secrets past and present. Saim-Hann means "Quest for Enlightenment," for the Aeldari Lexicon word for snake and secret knowledge is identical: "Saim." The Aeldari of Saim-Hann bear the world-rune that represents the Serpent as their heraldry, sporting it on the cowlings of their jetbikes, grav-tanks and aircraft. Craftworld Saim-Hann is most often located somewhere in the Segmentum Pacificus. History Guardian of Craftworld Saim-Hann]] The Aeldari craftworld of Saim-Hann was reputedly one of the first craftworlds to abandon the Crone Worlds as the Fall of the Aeldari approached, heeding their Farseers' warnings. As such they have spent far more time isolated from the rest of the Aeldari than the other major craftworlds, although the Saim-Hann do maintain contact with and have cultural ties to the Exodite worlds. They are fierce warriors, who place honour at a higher value than their more culturally sophisticated kin. This, coupled with their pride, has led them into conflict with each other and different craftworlds. While this generally takes the form of a highly ritualised duel in which first blood is usually sufficient to end the matter, the occasional deaths from these conflicts has lent to the barbaric reputation of the craftworld among other Aeldari. The Wild Host of Saim-Hann is comprised almost entirely of Windrider kinbands mounted on Jetbikes. Windrider hosts in battle are spectacularly adorned, especially upon Craftworld Saim-Hann, where the kinbands ride to war in their thousands, sun glinting from their cowlings and pennants snapping like gunfire in the breeze. Almost every member of Saim-Hann is part of a Wild Rider family, including its Seers, and this allows them to field many specialists who ride Jetbikes and Vypers. The chieftain's closest family form the kinsmen, who paint their faces with hot blood on the eve of conflict, drink from each other's wrists, and ride to war together as brothers. In much the same way, each unit of Jetbikes or Vyper pilots is comprised of blood relatives, and tends to sport a vivid banner showing their clan's rune. It is only during a Wild Rider's time as an Aspect Warrior that his familial ties are put aside, as devotion to the Aspect Shrine overrules all other considerations. The families are maintained in a feudal hierarchy ruled by an Aeldari chieftain and his rule is passed down through hereditary tradition. Unlike other craftworlds who unite in mass mobilisations, the Saim-Hann kindreds are each free to choose whether or not to fight in defence of a particular cause. Disagreements on military matters are usually resolved with ritual combat between champions chosen from within the kindreds -- however, it is not unknown for a kindred to go to war without the assistance, let alone the approval, of the rest of the craftworld. Some families also fight with each other, although this conflict usually takes the form of a ritual single combat between champions. They are not uncommon, but fights to the death are very rare as first blood is usually sufficient to determine a winner. meditates, becoming one with the Cosmic Serpent.]] The Saim-Hann warhosts are generally red or a light scarlet in colour. They are often highlighted with contrasting shades, mainly black, white or yellow in striped patterns. They also use simple chevron or stripe motifs on their vehicles as a form of status identifier. Saim-Hann's different warrior clans have their own varying personal symbols, so there is almost certain to be a significant amount of variation between clans, squads or even individuals. The craftworld's rune is a stylised serpent, which is the Cosmic Serpent of Aeldari myth. Indeed, it is revered so much by the Saim-Hann Aeldari that one of their coming-of-age rites is to catch a daggersnake (found on many of the worlds of the Exodites) in mid-strike. The serpent also epitomises the attack style of Saim-Hann -- a fast, deadly strike before withdrawing, leaving the enemy panicked and confused. The warriors of Saim-Hann are proud, boisterous and aggressive, and use fast, mobile troops with a high quantity of Jetbikes. Young Guardians are always trying to outdo each other in contests of speed, particularly in battle. Coming of the Ynnari After the Ynnari's desperate resurrection of Prince Yriel turned defeat into victory during the Battle of Iyanden, they made haste to Macragge, there to bolster Humanity's shield against the scourge of Chaos by bringing the Primarch Roboute Guilliman back from the brink of death. From there they defended a clutch of worlds from the scourge of Chaos, but always they were on the lookout for more Aeldari sympathetic to their cause. On Saim- Hann, the Ynnari's high priestess Yvraine found no small number of converts. The Saim-Hann world-ship had been sorely pressed since the opening of the Great Rift. At the height of the Khornate Blood Crusade, it had sent five entire clans to hold back the gore-maddened Red Tide on Upsilon, securing a fraught victory before disappearing to leave the planet's Human survivors shaken and confused behind them. At the same time the craftworld's fleet had fought void battles against Imperial Navy warships and elements of Abaddon the Despoiler's vast armada of the 13th Black Crusade. At first Yvraine's call to arms on behalf of the god of the dead Ynnead was seen as the last thing the seers and chieftain of the craftworld needed. It risked a schism dividing their clans, for tempers on Saim-Hann had always run hot. A council was convened at the Speaking Place, a tribal hub in the midst of one of the craftworld's wilderness zones.Beneath the shimmering vault of a colossal bio-dome they talked of ancestors, spirits, and futures yet to be. For a while, they found accord around the ever-burning fires of that place. Then the skies shimmered above the conflagration, and a Drukhari strike force burst from a Webway gate long forgotten. Their intent was to slay Yvraine with a swift decapitating strike, ending her threat to Supreme Overlord Asdrubael Vect's power over the people of Commorragh. The Drukhari's blades did not find their mark, for none other than the Phoenix Lord Jain Zar appeared to meet them in battle. The peace talks turned to fierce battle in moments, and the Ynnari were forced to flee before the people of Saim-Hann could be brought into the fold. Notable Events *'The Voyage Begins (ca. M29)' - Saim-Hann is one of the first craftworlds to escape the failing and corrupt Aeldari Empire. *'The Fall of the Aeldari (ca. M30)' - The Aeldari Empire is torn asunder as Slaanesh is born from their depravities. *'A Cruel Thirst (487-492.M39)' - The Slaaneshi Daemon Prince Lilesh Snarelust slakes his infernal desire for excess, masterminding a vast daemonic incursion across a score of Imperial worlds near the Moon of Nightmares. Unwilling to permit such a foray into the material plane so near to their craftworld, the Aeldari of Saim-Hann respond with focussed aggression, risking all in the battle against the legions of the Dark Prince. Over the course of five years, the Windriders of Saim-Hann systematically outmanoeuvre and exterminate those loyal to the court of Slaanesh. Eventually, Saim-Hann’s high chieftain Nuadhu brings Lilesh Snarelust to battle at the daemon's corrupted stronghold, the so-called Sanctuary of Sins. Though Snarelust’s lethal handmaidens seek to intervene, Nuadhu's Jetbike kinriders keep them at bay with volleys of shuriken catapult fire. Leaping from the back of his Jetbike, Nuadhu plunges the legendary Celestial Lance into the Daemon’s heart, shattering its soul and banishing its essence to the hell from whence it came. Those Slaaneshi Daemons that remain -- and the Chaos-worshipping humans that are in league with them -- are mercilessly culled. *'The Death of Gnosis Prime (786.M41)' - The Imperial planet of Gnosis Prime is invaded by the Aeldari after a territorial dispute of epic magnitude. Despite having settled the planet some twelve hundred years previous, the human inhabitants are given an ultimatum by Eliac Zephyrblade of Saim-Hann -- evacuate or die. The Autarch's imperious demand is met by an extremely vulgar response. The Aeldari force is outnumbered a hundred times over by the Imperial armies, but the vengeful Zephyrblade makes the ocean his landing zone before running rings around the military juggernaut of the Imperium with his Windrider hosts. He cripples the planet’s industrial zones before leaving Gnosis Prime to a cruel and lonely fate at the hands of his Drukhari allies. Notable Saim-Hann Aeldari *'Nuadhu "Fireheart"' - Nuadhu is a notable Wild Rider of Saim-Hann. In battle, he is known to ride upon a Vyper, known as Alean, The Steed of Khaine, that has been built to allow him to fight from its back, much as the bloody-handed god Khaine rode to war on the legendary steed Alean. He is considered reckless, even by the standards of his kindred, and pays no heed to danger, gladly flying into the heaviest enemy barrage. His Wild Riders willingly follow him into the fiercest fighting. *'Eliac Zephyrblade' - Eliac Zephyrblade is an Autarch of Saim-Hann who led a warhost of Aeldari and invaded Gnosis Prime in 786.M41. Claiming the world as their own, despite it having been under Imperial control for over twelve centuries, the aliens set about the systematic eradication of its billions-strong population. A full year after the start of the war, Wolf Lord Logan Grimnar and his Space Wolves Chapter arrived in the Gnosis System. When they found the doomed world, it was all but a graveyard. The Great Wolf vowed if he could not save the people of Gnosis Prime, he would avenge them, and so, the Great Wolf set course to Gnosis Secundus seeking revenge against the Saim-Hann Aeldari still in-system. At the height of the battle, Grimnar feigned a looming defeat in order to draw the arrogant Aeldari commander into battle. Though the two mighty warriors clashed blades, Grimnar was unable to take full advantage after having knocked the Autarch from his Jetbike by smashing its engine-core with the Axe of Morkai. The Great Wolf could only howl in frustration as the Autarch nimbly pulled himself up onto a passing skimmer. The two exchanged a final look through the rain before Zephyrblade and the surviving Aeldari fell back through a Webway portal. Though the Space Wolves had emerged victorious, it was a hollow victory as the Gnosis System lay in ruins whilst the Aeldari had escaped...at least for now. Trivia The name of the Craftworld is a variation of the Gaelic holiday Samhain (also called the Celtic New Year or in modern times, Halloween). Saim-Hann means "Quest for Enlightenment" in the Eldar Lexicon. Sources *''Champions of Fenris - A Codex: Space Wolves Supplement'' (7th Edition), pp. 37-50 *''Codex: Dark Eldar'' (5th Edition), pg. 37 *''Codex: Eldar'' (6th Edition), pp. 3, 15, 21-22, 41, 43 *''Codex: Eldar'' (4th Edition), pp. 15, 17 *''Codex: Eldar'' (3rd Edition), pg. 39 *''Codex: Eldar'' (2nd Edition), pg. 34 *''Psychic Awakening - Phoenix Rising'' (8th Edition), pg. 12 *''Warhammer 40,000: Planetstrike'' (5th Edition), pp. 60-61 *''Shadow Captain'' (Novella) by David Annandale Gallery Saim-Hann_Farseer_Aberzheim.jpg|A Saim-Hann Farseer summoning forth his innate psychic abilities. Farseer Saim-Hann.jpg|A Saim-Hann Seer in battle. Saim-Hann Guardians 1.jpg|A squad of Saim-Hann Guardians led by Warlock into battle. Saim-Hann Jetbike Sqd.jpg|Saim-Hann Wild Riders, riding lightning-fast Jetbikes. Nuadu Fireheart.jpg|A Saim-Hann Autarch leads an aerial assault. Eldar Vypers combat.png|A squadron of Saim-Hann Vyper Jetbikes on patrol. 7454saimswoopinghawks4by.jpg|Saim-Hann Swooping Hawk Aspect Warriors lead an assault. Saim-Hann Fire Prism_grav-tank.jpg|A Saim-Hann Fire Prism grav-tank firing. File:SH_Farseer_1.png|A Saim-Hann Farseer armed with a Singing Spear. Farseers and Warlocks often bear the runes of the Witch Path on their robes. File:SH_Farseer_2.png|A Saim-Hann Farseer; note that Farseers adhere to the same system of faceplate markings as their warhost. File:SH_Guardians_1.png|The Guardians of the Craftworlds utilise a system of coloured bands marked upon their power pack vanes to identify distinct groups of warriors. File:A Saim-Hann Autarch-0.png|A Saim-Hann Autarch. The colour of an Autarch's faceplate defines that of the warriors in his warhost. File:A_Saim-Hann_Warlock.png|A Saim-Hann Warlock armed with a Witchblade. Warlock leaders sometimes bear their Guardian squad's rune. File:SH_Guardians_2.png|The number of the bands indicates the Guardian's squad, whereas the colour represents their battlehost. World-runes may be displayed anywhere upon the armour. File:SH_Guardians_3.png|Guardian squad members sometimes display personal flourishes and honour-markings, such as the black chevrons upon the Saim-Hann Guardian's torso, bottom left. File:SH_Guardians_Plume.png|Saim-Hann Guardians. Helmet plume colours are always consistent within Guardian squads. File:SH_Guardians_Warhost.png|Saim-Hann Guardians. Faceplate colour signifies a warrior's warhost. File:SH_Guardians_Clan_Marking_1.png|Saim-Hann Guardians. Saim-Hann warriors often display clan markings. File:SH_Windrider_4.jpg|The symbol of the fearsome Cosmic Serpent is often emblazoned upon the upper facing of Saim-Hann Windrider Jetbikes, to strike fear into the foe. File:SH_Warlock_Skyrunner_2.jpg|A Saim-Hann Warlock on a Jetbike. Warlocks who ride Jetbikes into battle forsake the standard numerical designations normally employed by the Windriders; their steeds' canopies are instead embellished with the runes of their eldritch craft. File:SH_Vyper.png|Saim-Hann Vypers often display individual markings upon their fins, along with a numerical designation on their hull. File:SH_Wave_Serpent.png|Dorsal view of a Saim-Hann Wave Serpent. Note the bold squadron designs, such as chevrons and numerical markings, on the grav-tank's hull. File:SH_Fire_Prism_2.png|Dorsal view of a Saim-Hann Fire Prism grav-tank. Note the chevron designs and numerical markings on hull. File:SH_Walker2.png|A Saim-Hann War Walker. The warhost to which a vehicle belongs is indicated by the colour of the framework around its cockpit or screen. File:Saim-Hann_Farseer_Swords.jpg|A Saim-Hann Farseer armed with pair of Witchblades. File:Saim-Hann_Warlock_Singing_Spear.jpg|A Saim-Hann Warlock armed with a Singing Spear and Shuriken Pistol. Sam-HainAutarchJetbike.jpg|An Eldar Autarch of Saim-Hann mounted upon a Jetbike. Saim-Hann Vampire Hunter.jpg|A Saim-Hann Vampire Hunter. File:SH_Hemlock_Wraithfighter.jpg|A Saim-Hann Hemlock Wraithfighter. Saim-Hann Cobra.jpg|A Saim-Hann Cobra super heavy grav-tank. File:Saim-Hann_Wave_Serpent.jpg|A Saim-Hann Wave Serpent. File:SH_Fireprism.jpg|A Saim-Hann Fire Prism grav-tank. SH Wraithguard_Wave Serpent.jpg|A line of Wraithguard protect their living brethren from harm. A Wave Serpent follows close behind. Saim-Hann War Walker.jpg|A Saim-Hann War Walker. SH Wraithknight.jpg|A Saim-Hann Wraithknight armed with two heavy Wraithcannons and two Scatter Lasers. SH Wraithlord_Ghostblades.jpg|A Saim-Hann Wraithlord armed with a Ghostblade and Bright Lance. File:SH_Wraithguard_wraithcannon.jpg|A Saim-Hann Wraithguard armed with a Wraithcannon. SH Wraithblade_Ghostaxe_forceshield.jpg|A Saim-Hann Wraithblade armed with a Ghost Axe and Force Shield. es:Saim-Hann Category:S Category:Eldar Category:Eldar Craftworlds